Loom picker check



July 25, 1944. G. E. uTTx-:R

LOQM PICKER CHECK Filed May 7, 1943 G'Usmf' E. "UrnzvzV masked 'July 2s, 1944 `-UNITED STATES PATENT' o FFl'cE y Loon cmicx Gusta! E. Utter, Worcester, Mass. Application May 7, 1943, Serial, No. 486,053

11. calms. (cl. 13s-isi) This invention relates to loom picker checks, and more particularly to the construction and arrangement of a picker check suitable for use with looms operating at unusually high speeds.v

In the weaving art there is a constant 'demand for looms operable at higher and higher speeds, and these speeds have been denitely limited-by the inherent weaknesses of picker checks as heretofore constructed. Unless the shuttle' and picker can be brought to rest smoothly and dependably in a denite predetermined position throughout long periods of operation, it will not be possible to increase the speed of the loom. It has been a common practice to check the pickers by means of an arrangement of leather straps or the like, but such constructio s wear out rapidly unless the shuttle speed is r atively low, and their operation varies considerably with changes in atmospheric conditions, particularly the humidity. Several attempts have been made to solve the problem by employing pneumatic devices which utilize the energy of the high-velocity shuttle to compress a coniined body of air, this air escaping gradually through an orice. None of these pneumatic checks has proven satisfactory in cornmercial practice. The orifice has to be made very small, and it frequently becomes vobstructed by dust. dirt or lint. I Variations in atmospheric conditions have a pronounced eect on the operation. Furthermore, there is a decided tendency for the compressed air to re-expand as the shuttle comes to rest, causing a considerable rebound" which is highly undesirable. These difficulties become much more serious as the speed of the loom is increased.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a loom picker check capable of uniform and dependable operation at relatively high speeds.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a loom picker check of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction capable of stopping a high speed shuttle smoothly and quickly, and bringing the shuttle to rest in a denite predetex-mined position without appreciable rebound.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a loom picker check which will operate in a uniform and accurate manner regardless of varial vtions in atmospheric conditions.'

With these and other objects in view. as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth `in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

bodiment of the invention and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a loom lay and an associated picker check; I

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a part of the mechanism, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3'of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail'of a piston: and

Fig. 5 isa detail of a valve.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a loom y lay I0 of any usual and well-known construction,

with an associated shuttleII and picker stick I2. It will be understood that the same construction is employed at the two opposite ends of the lay, and that*- the picker sticks will be oscillated in known manner tothrow the shuttle back and forth between them. Each time as the shuttle returns it will strike the picker and carry it toward the end of the lay, where a suitable bumper Il is mounted to limit the motion `of the picker. The present invention provides a mechanism which serves to check the motion of these parts quickly and smoothly, and bring the picker to secured to vthe end of the lay Ill a depending bracket I5 having an inwardly extending shelf I6 at its lower end and an arm I1 which projects inwardly above the shelf and beneath the lay. The inner end of this arm I1 supports a pin I9 which forms a fulcrum for a bell crank lever 20 having an upwardly extending arm 2| and a comparatively short outwardly extending arm 22. The arm 2l is provided at its upper end with a' bumper 24 which is located in the path of the picker stick I2 and in position to engage the outer surface thereof. rIhe bracket arm I1 carries a stop pin 25 whichv overlies the short arm 22 of the bell' crank lever to limit its' upward movement. The shelf I6 supports a receptacle in the form of a hollow upright circular cylinder 26 which is securely fastened to the bracket I5 by means of a U-st'rap 21.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the receptacle 26 is closed at its upper end by a ilat cover plate 29 which is held in place by means of screws 3l threadedinto an outwardly extending annular iiange l2| formed on the top of the '50 receptacle. Within the receptacle, and somewhat oifset from the center thereof, there is provided a vertical partition 33 which divides the interior of the receptacle into a largel main compartment 34 and a' small auxiliary compartment' Referring to the drawing illustrating one em- Il 25. Within the large compartment 3| there is boss 39 formed on the cover plate 29, the upper end oflthis rod engaging the short arm 22 o! the i bell crank lever 20. On the upper surface o! the piston 31 there is provided an annular ilange 4I which is connected to the lower end of the boss 3l by a loose sleeve 42 of a suitable light, flexible and impervious material, such as oiled silk, this sleeve being wired to the connected parts to form a seal. Beneath the piston there is provided a light coiled compression spring 43. The partition ll is provided with an opening 45 therethroughnear the bottom of the receptacle, and an opening 44 therethrough above the upper limit of travel of the piston. Both of these openings are of considerable area. and they are preferably elongated horizontally. The receptacle is illled with a suitable liquid, such as oil, to a level above the upper position of the piston. o

It will now be apparent that as the shuttle I I strikes-the picker stick I2 and carries it outwardly toward the bumper I4,4 the picker stick will turn the bell crank lever 20 in a clockwise direction and slide the rod 38 downwardly through the boss 39, thusA lowering the piston 3l. This will cause some of the oil to flow from the compartment 34 through the lower opening 45 to the compartment 35. and at the same time some oil will iiow from the compartment I through the upper opening 46 to the space above the piston. Because of its inertia and viscosity.

the oil will impose a resistance to the piston movement and thereby decelerate the picker and shuttle, causing the picker to come to rest gently against the bumper I4,

Means is preferably provided to adjust the checking action, and for this purpose I employ an adjustable valve to control the lower opening 45. As illustrated this valve is in the form of a vertically slidable gate 48 mounted in the compartment 35 adjacent the partition 33, with the lower edge of the gate extending across the opening 45. On the top of this gate there is provided a lug 49 having a threaded opening 50 therethrough to receive the lower end of a vertical screw 52. This screw is rotatably supported at its upper end by a boss 53 formed on the cover plate 29. A pin 55 projects horizontally from the lower portion of the gate 48, beneath the screw 52, to engage the Wall of the receptacle 26 and thereby brace the gate against thefilow ofthe liquid through the opening 45.

The operation of the invention will now be apparent from the above disclosure. VAs the picker stick I2 moves rapidly to the left in Fig. l it will throw the shuttle II across to the lefthand side of the loom, whereupon the picker stick will swing back until it reaches the position illustrated, with the outer side of the stick engaging the bumper 24 on the bell crank. When the shuttle returns it will strike the picker and swing it stilll further to the right. During this movement the bellcrank 2i) will force the rod 38and piston 31 downwardly. To some extent thepistonwlll ypass downwardly through the oil, becauseA ofithe clearance space around the outside-.or-gthepiston. Also the piston will causethe oilinthecompartment 34' to move downwardly,

assenso mounted a fiat piston Il in the form of a circlev some of the oil ilowing through the opening 4l. while oilin the compartment l5 will :dow upwardly and through the opening 44. In thun moving downwardly through the body oi.' oil and in starting the oil into motion, the piston will encounter resistance which will check the `speed of the shuttle. Furthermore this resistance will be at a maximum at the ,start o! the checking action when the velocity ot the piston is the greatest and the body of oil is stationary. The resistance will gradually decrease asthe velocity of the piston decreases and the downward velocity o! the oil in the compartment 34 increases, and if the valve 4l has been correctly adjusted the resistl ance will practically cease-at the instant the picker stick I2 reaches the bumper I4. the parts having by now lost nearly all their velocity. This provides an ideal checking action, causing the picker stick to come up against the stop I4 gently and without appreciable shock. There will be no tendency for the piston to rebound, since the oil is not compressible. Furthermore the downward movement of the oil in the main compartment 34 will tend to continue for an instant after the piston has reached the bottom of its stroke, since the oil has appreciable inertia, and

A this fact will tend to hold the piston down during the very brief interval while the shuttle is sta-v tionary. All this is in direct contrast to the ac- -tion of a pneumatic check. which by compressing air creates a maximum of resistance when the velocity ofthe shuttle is the lowest and thereby results in serious problems because of the tendency of the parts to rebound instead of coming to rest in a desired position.

The spring 43 is purposely made very light so that it will have no appreciable checking action during the downward stroke of the piston and it will be incapable of raising the piston during such time as the shuttle is stationary. As soon however as the picker starts on its working stroke to the left and thus releases the bell crank lever,l the spring will raise thepiston and return the lever to the position shown in Fig. 1,4this movement being completed before the picker stick returns to rest against the bumper 24 on the lever in readiness to receive the returning shuttle.

It will be noted that the construction is simple and inexpensive. A minimum of machine work is requested, and many of the parts can be produced from drawn or stamped sheet metal. For example, the receptacle 26 can be drawn from a single piece, and the partition 33 subsequently inserted and welded in place. There are no small orifices subject to plugging by dust or dirt. Changes in atmospheric conditions will have no appreciable eiect on the operation, which will continue in a uniform and dependable manner feven at veryhigh speeds. y

- Having thus described my invention, what claim as new andvdesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

^ l.` In 'combination with the "shuttle of a loom and a'picker arranged to drive the shuttle in one Vdirection and to receive the impact of the returning shuttle, a receptacle, a body of liquid in the receptacle. a piston mounted for substantially Y terior of the receptacle into two compartments. a

outwardly. and connections between the laterally extending arm and the piston to'force the piston downwardly against the resistance of the liquid as the said laterally -extending arm swings downwardly, whereby. the motion of the shuttle and picker will be checked.

2. In combination with a loom lay, a horizontally reciprocable shuttle. and a picker arranged piston mounted for substantiallyvertical reciprocation within one compartment, the two compartments being connected both above and below the piston, o. body or liquid suing the oompartments to a level above lthe piston, and connections from the picker to the piston to drive -the piston downwardly and thus cause liquid to arranged to.be engaged by the picker as it moves outwardly" under the said shuttle impact. the lever also having an outwardly extending arm arranged to swing downwardly when the upright arm swings outwardly, and connections between the outwardly extending arm and the piston to force the piston downwardly against the resistance of the liquid as the said outwardly extendy ing arm swings downwardly. whereby the motion o! the shuttle and the picker will be checked.

3. In combination with `a loom. lay, a horizontally reciprocable shuttle, and a picker arranged to drive the shuttle in one direction and to receive the impact of the returning shuttle, a bracket iiow from each -compartment into the other,

vwhereby the motion of the picker will be checked.

7. In combination with the picker of a loom, a

receptacle, an upright partition dividing the interior of the receptacleinto a main'compartment and an auxiliary compartment connected by an opening through the partition near the bottom thereof, a' body of liquid'in the receptacle, a piston mounted for substantially vertical re- -ciprocation within the main compartment, a

manually adjustable valve to control the said opening, and connections from the picker to the piston to drive the piston downwardly and force liquid from the main compartment through the opening into the auxiliary compartment, whereby the motion of the picker will be checked.

8. 111 combination with the picker of a loom, a receptacle having ai top plate, a body of liquid in the receptacle, a vertical rod extending through i the top plate and slidably supported thereby. a

depending from the lay end and having an inwardly extending shell, a receptacle mounted on the shelf, a body of liquid inthe receptacle, a piston mounted for substantially vertical reolprocation in the receptacle in contact with the liquid. a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on the bracket above the receptacle and having an upwardly extending arm arranged to be engaged by the picker as -it moves outwardly under the said shuttle impact, the lever also having an outwardly extending arm arranged to swing downwardly when the upright arm swings outwardly, `and connections between the outwardly extending arm and the piston to force the piston downwardly against the resistance of the liquid as the said outwardly extending arm swings downwardly, whereby the motion of the shuttle and the picker will be checked.

4. In combination with the picker of a loom,

auxiliary compartment, whereby the motion of.

the picker will be checked. 5. In combination with' the picker of a loom. a receptacle. an upright partition dividing the interior of the receptacle into .a main compartment and an auxiliary compartment connected by an opening through the partition near the bottom thereof, a body of liquid in the receptacle, a piston mounted for substantially vertical reciprocation within the main compartment, and connections from the picker to the piston to drive the piston downwardly and torce liquid from the main compartment through the opening intothe auxiliary compartment, whereby the motion of the picker-will be checked. y

6. In combination with the picker of a loom, a receptacle. an vupright partition dividing the inpiston mounted on the lower end of the rod and in contact with the liquid so that theliquid'will resist downward movement oi' the piston, a sleeve of liglit, ilexible and impervious material surrounding thn lower portion of the rod.V the upper end of the sleeve being'connected to the top plate and the lower end thereof being connected to the piston, and connections from the picker to the upper end of the rod to drive the rod downwardly, whereby the motion of the picker will be checked.

9. In combination with the picker of a loom, a receptacle in the form of an upright circular cylinder, an upright partition within the cylinder and oilset from the center thereof to provide a large compartment and a small compartment, the partition having .an opening therethrough near the bottom of the receptacle, a body of liquid in the receptacle, 'a top plate for the receptacle, a vertical rod extending through the top plate and slidably supported thereby, a piston mounted on the lower end of the rod and immersed in the liquid in the large compartment, the piston being shaped as a circle with a segment removed therefrom, there being an appreciable clearance be- A tween the periphery of the piston and the surthe partition having an opening therethrough mersed in the liquid in the large compartment.

the piston being shaped as a circle with a segment removed therefrom, there being an appreciable clearance between the periphery of the piston and the surrounding wall of the large compartment, a vertically slidable gate located within the control the eiIective size thereof, a vertical rotatable ecrewextendins downwardly through the top plate and connected at its lower end to' the te t0 raise and lower the same, and-.connections from the picker to the upper end of the rod to drive the rod downwardly. the liquid resisting the downward movement of the piston and thereby checking the motion of the picker.

1l. In combination with the shuttle of a loom and a picker arranged to drive the shuttle in one direction and to receive the impact of the returnf 4 stammenA 'mail compartment adjacent the said opening to I ing shuttle. a receptacle; a pieton reciproca, mounted in the receptacle .with :ln-appreciable clearance between the periphery ot the piston and V the surrounding wall oi the receptacle. a body of liquid in the receptacle with the surface of the liquid above. the piston, the liquid' servinl to rosist movements ot the piston", and operating means for the piston arranged tobe actuatedhy the picker as it moves outwardly 'under the said shuttle impact, wherebythe motion of the shuttle -and picker will be checked.

.GUs'rAF E.

9,954,349-0usmf E. Uier, Worcester Mass. Loon PICKER 01199K. Patent dated July 25,1944. Disclaimer iiledDec. 19, 1945, by the assigneqwauam D.

Hereby enters this dslamel: to claim 4 in said specication. {Qcial Gazette February 26, 1946.] l 

